Of course you'll always find someone who will believe that something works, even in the face of solid double-blind testing. (See my favorite example of believe perseverance: http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/ideomotor.html.)
For regression to the mean, how about vitamin C to cure colds? (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cold-remedies/ID00036) Everyone starts out with a cold, a day or two into it they start drinking lots of orange juice, and a few days later they feel better... which likely would have been the case anyway, but they credit the orange juice. Or maybe I'm not understanding the approach you're taking, Michael. Do you want an obvious, extreme example so your listeners can see the value in the method without having to battle through their own assumptions? And then you'll ask them to apply the method to things about which they may have strong beliefs? Sue -- Sue Frantz Highline Community College Psychology, Coordinator Des Moines, WA 206.878.3710 x3404 [email protected] http://flightline.highline.edu/sfrantz/ -- APA Division 2: Society for the Teaching of Psychology http://teachpsych.org/ Office of Teaching Resources in Psychology, Associate Director Project Syllabus http://teachpsych.org/otrp/syllabi/syllabi.php --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
